Victory at the Home Guard Ground
Leamington continued their advance towards Travel Factory Midland Alliance football next season with a far from convincing 2-1 victory over lowly Alveston at the Home Guard Ground in the suburbs of Stratford upon Avon.
Leamington captain Steve Thompson, who developed his soccer skills on a college scholarship in the US after playing for Birmingham University, has reason to look pleased
The first challenge of the day was to locate the Home Guard Ground which is in Tiddington not Alveston. Fortunately, the website of the Stratford upon Avon Astronomical Society gave us an accurate fix.
An E mail from the club warned us of heavy pre-match traffic, but although we set out early we came to a halt half a mile from the ground with the floodlights tantalisingly ahead of us. Fortunately, the reserve pitch had been turned over to parking for the day to accommodate the hundreds of Leamington fans.
The Bear had said earlier in the day that Alveston would be short of four of their best players, but rumours swept around the ground that they had brought in some 'ringers'. Grumbling about the Leamington manager was much in evidence despite the fact that the Brakes are sixteen points clear in the Midland Combination Premiership.
We took up a position near the dugouts, but were moved away as a rope was slung to create a protection zone. We were told that this was on league instructions to prevent crowd invasions, but anyone could have hopped under the single rail protecting the pitch. In fact it became an enclosure for the players' girl friends and admirers of the suspended Josh Blake.
The home side were led out by former Leamington player Baz Shearsby. Bazza seemed to have put on several pounds since his departure from Harbury Lane.
Leamington dominated the early play and former Coventry City and Inverness Caledonian Thistle ace Leon Morgan converted a corner with a bullet header to put Brakes 1-0 ahead after ten minutes. When Alveston made a rare attack, Cadsy was heard to shout 'Watch out for the ugly one coming in.'
The score was the same at half time and Leamington's play after the break was lacklustre so we had plenty of time to admire the former home of novelist J B Priestley which dominated the view on the other side of the pitch. The one piece of excitement was when Bazza kicked a ball into the circle of admiring girls around Josh Blake.
On 67 minutes Richard Adams, who had scored the winner against West Midlands Police when he returned to his old beat on Saturday, made it 2-0 for Brakes. Unfortunately, Brakes then took their foot off the pedal and Alveston were able to get back into the game with a goal.
As the time ticked away, I was joined by a local sports reporter who complained that he had to cover Coventry Marconi's home game that evening before going to Warwick Races tomorrow. Such is life in the lower reaches of the non-league.
Leamington captain Steve Thompson, who developed his soccer skills on a college scholarship in the US after playing for Birmingham University, has reason to look pleased
The first challenge of the day was to locate the Home Guard Ground which is in Tiddington not Alveston. Fortunately, the website of the Stratford upon Avon Astronomical Society gave us an accurate fix.
An E mail from the club warned us of heavy pre-match traffic, but although we set out early we came to a halt half a mile from the ground with the floodlights tantalisingly ahead of us. Fortunately, the reserve pitch had been turned over to parking for the day to accommodate the hundreds of Leamington fans.
The Bear had said earlier in the day that Alveston would be short of four of their best players, but rumours swept around the ground that they had brought in some 'ringers'. Grumbling about the Leamington manager was much in evidence despite the fact that the Brakes are sixteen points clear in the Midland Combination Premiership.
We took up a position near the dugouts, but were moved away as a rope was slung to create a protection zone. We were told that this was on league instructions to prevent crowd invasions, but anyone could have hopped under the single rail protecting the pitch. In fact it became an enclosure for the players' girl friends and admirers of the suspended Josh Blake.
The home side were led out by former Leamington player Baz Shearsby. Bazza seemed to have put on several pounds since his departure from Harbury Lane.
Leamington dominated the early play and former Coventry City and Inverness Caledonian Thistle ace Leon Morgan converted a corner with a bullet header to put Brakes 1-0 ahead after ten minutes. When Alveston made a rare attack, Cadsy was heard to shout 'Watch out for the ugly one coming in.'
The score was the same at half time and Leamington's play after the break was lacklustre so we had plenty of time to admire the former home of novelist J B Priestley which dominated the view on the other side of the pitch. The one piece of excitement was when Bazza kicked a ball into the circle of admiring girls around Josh Blake.
On 67 minutes Richard Adams, who had scored the winner against West Midlands Police when he returned to his old beat on Saturday, made it 2-0 for Brakes. Unfortunately, Brakes then took their foot off the pedal and Alveston were able to get back into the game with a goal.
As the time ticked away, I was joined by a local sports reporter who complained that he had to cover Coventry Marconi's home game that evening before going to Warwick Races tomorrow. Such is life in the lower reaches of the non-league.
posted by Wyn Grant at 4:23 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home